1. The branching pattern creates a larger surface area for absorbtion of water.
2. The roots branch out in order to find water. Zoomin in on the structure of the roots, you will see hair at the end of the root. These are known as root hairs.
3. Root hairs are epidermal cells (cells on the surface of the root) in which the cell walls have been extended. The root hair is an extension of the cell wall. This too, increases the surface area for the absorbtion of water.
4. More minerals are taken in through active transport into the epidermal cells. This then encourages the water to move up the root hair through oasmosis. This basically means that the water moves from the dilute region to the concentrated region.
5. The concentrated region is built by the uptake of minerals through active transport into the cells.
6. Water then moves through the cortex of the root and to the xylem.